Draft-regulator.



H. E. REECE. DRAFT REGULATOR.

APPLlCATION HLED FEB. IT, 1916.

1 9 l @3 9 l 7 n Patented June 22, 1915.

WITNEEEEE:

THE NORRIS PETERS c0., PHD'm-LITHOU WASHINGTON D. C.

llhfTED @TAfEh PATENT tlhldlffildc I-IGSEA E. REEOE, OF McMECI-IEN, WEST VIRGINIA.

DRAFT-REGULATOR.

rieaair.

Application filed February 17, 1913.

To all whom-2'15 may concern Be it known that I, HOSEA E. Runes, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of McMechen, county of Marshall, and State of Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft regulators for steam boilers, and it has for its primary object to provide a novel and efficient regulating apparatus whereby the draft to the fire is controlled.

A further object is to provide means whereby the draft may be accelerated by the use of live steam, thus rendering the regulator efficacious when the engine is at rest as well as when running. And a still further object is to provide means whereby cinders and large solid particles are prevented from reaching the stack, while ashes and like relatively smaller particles drawn from the fire-box are permitted to freely pass to the stack and to issue therefrom with the smoke and exhaust steam.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of elements which will hereinafter be exemplified, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the front end of a boiler, illustrating my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, the boiler head being shown removed.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a boiler having the usual smoke-box 2 in the front end thereof. Leading into the smokebox from the bottom is an exhaustnozzle 3 to which the exhaust steam from the cylinders A is conducted in the usual manner. Said nozzle is of relatively short length, rising only a short distance above the bottom of the fire-box, as shown. Disposed over and in vertical alinement with said nozzle 3 is a tubular shell, or hollow cylinder, 5 of greater diameter than said nozzle and of less diameter than the smokestack 6, with which latter it also alines. The upper end of said shell lies close to or within the lower end of said stack, and is preferably supported in such manner as to be vertically adjustable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Serial No. 748,823.

with respect to the exhaust nozzle. The supporting means illustrated comprises a collar 7 closely embracing the shell, a short length of wire-cable operating over a suitably located pulley 8 and connected at one end to said collar and at its opposite end to a lever 9 which constitutes one of a suitable series of connected levers (not shown) operable from the cab, whereby the shell may be raised and lowered at will. I do not desire to limit myself, however, to the adjusting means illustrated, nor, in fact, to any construction requiring adjusting means, as it will be apparent that the shell may be mounted in a stationary position if desired.

A collar 10 is located in embracing relation to the shell 5 at a point adjacent to the upper end thereof, the same being supported by brackets 11 attached to the boiler walls. This collar may be rigidly attached in supporting relation to the shell when it is desired that the latter remain stationary, or it may loosely embrace and constitute a guide for said shell, as shown, when it is desired that it shall be adjustably mounted.

An outwardly flared bell mouth 5 is pro vided at the lower end of the shell 5 for facilitating the entrance to the latter of exhaust steam discharged through the underlying nozzle, as also the products of combustion, which are drawn into the smokebox 2 through the boiler fines 12. A baffle or diaphragm'13 is mounted above the discharge ends of the flues l2 and extends in a downwardly and forwardly inclined direction to a point adjacent to the bell mouth 5"*,

.whereby the products of combustion discharged from said fines are directed to a point where they are subjected to the influence of the powerful drafts induced at said mouth by the suction of the steam discharged into the shell.

A cage-like wire-screen 14 of cylindrical form is disposed about the lower end of the shell so as to wholly inclose both the nozzle 3 and the bell mouth 5*, whereby cinders and the relatively larger pieces of solid matter drawn through the fines 12 are prevented from entering said shell, while the entrance of smoke, ashes and the smaller particles resultant from the combustion of the fuel is in no wise interfered with. Said screen is of a diameter approximating that of the bell mouth 5- and, consequently, occupies but a relatively small space, afiording open passages on opposite sides thereof tend from one side of the fire box to the other, and the removal of which, at the expenditure of much time and labor, is required before access may be had to any part of the smoke box.

As is clearly apparent from the drawings, a powerful draft is created at the mouth. of the shell 5, owing to the relatively short distance intervening between said mouth and the discharge end of the exhaust nozzle; and this draft acts upon the fire for producing relatively rapid combustion, with resultant increased efficiency for the rapid production of steam. For further facilitating the draft as occasion may require, a small steam pipe 15 may be provided whereby live steam may be introduced within the shell 5, said pipe leading into the shell and being adapted to discharge therein in substantially the axial line thereof. Since the introduction of steam through said pipe 15 may be controlled by the engineman by any appropriate or well known means, as by a hand-operated valve, I have not considered it necessary to show or describe herein any particular controlling means.

When adjusting mechanism is employed in connection with the shell 5, the latter may be lowered and elevated, as required, for respectively increasing and decreasing the draft.

A marked advantage is obtained by the provision of the short nozzle 8, and by having the lower end of the shield extend to a point but slightly elevated above the bottom of the smoke-box, said advantage being that a powerful suction is created at the bot tom of the smoke-box, which causes a constant swirl or agitation that acts to cause cinders and relatively large particles, which would otherwise be permitted to lie undisturbed upon the bottom, to be drawn or sucked upward and continuously agitated and battered against the screen until they are so reduced in size that they pass unob- .structedly through the meshes thereof and thence outward through the stack. This results in preventing the formation of a deep layer or covering of cinders and ashes on the bottom of the smoke-box, thus avoiding the injury to the front end of the boiler walls which is consequent when the nozzle extends upward a considerable distance from the bottom, as from one-third to onehalf the diameter of the boiler, as is the case with all those of which I am at present aware, and also dispensing with the necessity for frequent cleanings of the smoke-box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a boiler, of an exhaust nozzle which extends into the smoke box of-said boiler, a tubular shell suspended over said nozzle and communicating with the smoke stack, said shell having a bell mouth located over said nozzle and in relatively close proximity to the bottom of said smoke box, means for introducing live steam into said-shell, and a cylindrical screen disposed in close encircling relation both to the mouth of the shell and to said nozzle, said screen occupying a relatively small space and permitting access thereby to the rear end of the smoke box.

2. The combination with a boiler, of an exhaust nozzle extending into the smoke box thereof, a tubular shell suspended over said nozzle and communicating with the smoke stack, the lower end of said shell being located over said nozzle, means for directing the products of combustion toward the lower end of said shell, a wire screen closely embracing the lower end of said shell and inclosi-ng said nozzle, said screen being of relatively small diameter to afford spaces between it and the boiler walls, through which spaces ready access to the boiler tubes is permitted, and means for introducing live steam within the lower end of said shell.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOSEA E. REECE.

Witnesses L. M. Soo'r'r, .H. E. DUNLAP.

Copies .ofthis patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washingtomb. G. 

